For me, the nucleoplasty did not work. It helped a bit with the sciatica, but not the back. 6 weeks after the nucleo, I was still in pain and was given a caudial injection which helped a bit.
My thoughts now about nucleo:
If, and only if you have a contained herniation and it is not too large, I think it can help people. If you have any tears of any kind in the annulus itself, I don't think nucleoplasty will help. This is because nucleo is to decompress a disk and take pressure of the exiting nerve root that come of the spinal cord (mine was at L5-S1). But tears, etc.. in the annulus cause pain to the nerves in the annulus itself which nucleo is not meant for. Some say IDET, but all my research has said it is a shot at best. This is even said by Arthrocare, maker of the PercWand which is used for the nucleo.
I have had back pain progressivley getting worse since the end of 1997. Last year I believe is when the annulus actually broke. I have tried many anti-inflammatories, with no help, and am now back to P/T and percocet. I know in time the percocet will become more and more, but what else can I do. I will continue more epidurals which I know are temporary at best.
I am now looking at fusion or ADR. If it comes down to it being so bad, I feel I will no choice but to do one. I am now gathering info on ADR trials to see if I am a candidate.
This whole thing, back pain, drugs, nucleo, etc.... has completely wore me down
physically and mentally. Like many others, life is a day to day thing. I have no idea how things will turn out, but I will always know I have tried my best.
I wish you well with your procedure and hope you finally get the relief we all are searching for.

Thank you for responding. I am so sorry that it didn't work for you. I was hopeful, as I know you were. You're right, though. You did give it a try! If it had worked, you wouldn't be looking @ the surgeries you are now. You owed yourself that much. But...having to go through yet another treatment and having it not work must be just awful on your emotions. I can't imagine....and hope I don't have to deal w/ that. My herniation was contained as of the discogram date, so - hopefully this will work for me.

I appreciate all your research on the procedure and all of the posts about how you felt afterwards. They are valuable to me in that I am not expecting miracles....and not in 2 wks time. I am more realistic because of what you've written. Thank you for that.

I will be praying that you are eligible for the ADR. There's some good info on it. Someone I know just got back from Germany having had it....and already feels better than pre-surgery.

Please let us know how you make out w/ qualifying for the ADR, if you feel up to it.

actually with the help of drugs I feel pretty good, they started working about 3 weeks ago...but the disk is shot and I would like to get my whole life back...no drugs...so time to move to the next step...Im trying to hold out till june...better weather to recover in... and I wont have to worry about slipping on snow or ice...but thats about it...just doing my best to get by...I have my good days and bad...but the way I see it is the damage is done so thats that..

My sympathies to both Ken and Jus, and best wishes for Karen. We're still on the learning curve with so much of this stuff, and the newer the truer that is.

I remain amazed by us. I am a bit older than many of you (55), and I've had other--in some ways, more "serious"--medical things to deal with. But I've never gone through anything that required the faith and perseverance that this does, and that so many of you/us do our best to sustain.